1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to communication technology, specifically to user equipment/mobile communication devices. In particular, this invention relates to the security of mobile communication devices, and a method for tracking a mobile communication device using Instant Messaging.
2. Description of the Related Art
The existing art involves tracking of mobile phones by a method with which it detects possible misuse when the phone is stolen and a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)/USIM (User Services Identity Module) has been replaced, and reports it by itself to the actual owner through SMS (Short Message Service) or email, without the network making queries.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows an identity check procedure used in the prior art. In step 100, a SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) or an MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) sends an Identity Request to an MS (Mobile station), and in response to the Identity Request, the MS sends an Identity Response (Mobile Identity) in step 110. Here, the Identity Request may be to request an Identity Type. If the SGSN or MSC decides to check the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) against the EIR (Equipment Identity Register), it sends a Check IMEI to the EIR in step 120. In step 130, the EIR sends a Check IMEI Ack to the SGSN/MSC in response to the Check IMEI.
US Patent Publication No. 2006/0079210 A1 discloses “Message Automatic Notification System, Message Automatic Notification Method, Communication Terminal Device, And Recording Medium,” in which a message automatic notification system sends a message via a communication network to other communication terminal devices registered in a communication terminal device. The communication terminal device includes a control circuit, a communication circuit, and a memory unit. The control circuit causes a message-sending condition to be registered in the memory unit, and obtains presence information from the other communication terminal device registered in the memory unit via the communication network. Thereafter, the control circuit determines whether the message-sending condition where a message is sent when the presence information turns out to be a predetermined state which is established based on the presence information obtained, and sends a message previously registered by a user in the memory unit when it is determined that the message-sending condition is established. However, this Publication does not discuss sending notification when a SIM card has been replaced.